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Staff Report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Joseph Daniel Miranda, age 33, has been sentenced to three years in prison. Following his incarceration, he will face two years of drug offender probation. This sentence comes after Miranda entered a plea of nolo contendere to charges of DUI, reckless driving exceeding 120 mph, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, and two separate drug-related offenses.
The charges stem from an incident on August 16, 2025, when Miranda was arrested after colliding with another vehicle on I-75 while driving under the influence at speeds over 120 mph. A subsequent search of his vehicle revealed a significant quantity of drugs intended for distribution and a shotgun shell, leading to additional charges.
Read our detailed article about his arrest here.
Watch the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office video of the incident here.
Miranda was originally charged with DUI, DUI with property damage, reckless driving over 100 mph, reckless driving with property damage, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana, possession of cocaine, and possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell. At the time of the arrest, he had two felony convictions (one violent) and two misdemeanor convictions (non-violent).
On January 27, he entered a plea of nolo contendere to possession of drugs with intent to sell, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, DUI with injury or property damage, and driving more than 50 mph over the speed limit.
On January 29, Judge James Colaw sentenced him to three concurrent sentences of three years in prison, followed by two years of probation, for the charges of selling drugs, possessing ammunition, and drug possession. He was sentenced to 13 days in jail with credit for 13 days served for the DUI and reckless driving charges. In addition, a restitution hearing is scheduled for March, and Miranda was ordered to have no alcohol or illegal drugs, attend DUI school, pay $1,000 fine plus court costs, perform 50 hours of community service, and undergo random drug screens and a substance abuse evaluation, followed by any recommended treatment. His vehicle was also impounded for 10 days, and an ignition interlock device will be placed on his vehicle for six months.